Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound: Visualization of Far Field and Classification of Plaque in the Extracranial Carotid Arteries

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paige L. Rowland ◽  
Michelle Colpitts ◽  
Angela Malone ◽  
Munis Raza ◽  
Lenora L. Eberhart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Image Quality ◽  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Arteries ◽  
Carotid Artery Disease ◽  
Plaque Morphology ◽  
Far Field ◽  
Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound ◽  
Contrast Imaging ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Artery Disease

Ultrasound stratification for the degree of carotid artery disease based solely on lumen reduction has poorly predicted patient outcomes. This pilot study focused on patients with moderate carotid artery stenosis. Our purpose was to use contrast imaging with ultrasound to improve carotid field. A total of 10 patients diagnosed with moderate carotid artery stenosis were rescanned with an administration of a contrast imaging agent. Two-dimensional (2D) imaging, color, and Doppler were utilized to scan the patients. The 20 carotid arteries were blindly read by 2 experienced physicians. Visualization of far field, quality of Doppler envelope, plaque morphology, and overall image quality were semi-quantifiably assessed. With the use of a contrast imaging agent, there was a reduction in interphysician interpretation variability. The Kappa coefficient yielded an increase in agreement for postcontrast imaging in the majority of variables. The Doppler envelope showed improvement from precontrast (0.06) to postcontrast (0.63). The visualization of the far fields demonstrated a significant increase in agreement (0.77, 0.71, and 0.67) postcontrast. Plaque morphology demonstrated enhancement in characterization with contrast (–0.09 to 0.66). In this study, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was found to increase overall image quality. Improved interpretation can enhance risk stratification and with further exploration could be used to guide treatment plans for patients with asymptomatic moderate carotid artery disease.

Abstract 11733: Assessment of Carotid Plaque Neovascularization Using Quantitative Analysis of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging is Useful for Risk Stratification in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Nakamura ◽  
Takamitsu Nakamura ◽  
Juntaro Deyama ◽  
Daisuke Fujioka ◽  
Ken-ichi Kawabata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Heart Failure ◽  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Plaque ◽  
Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound ◽  
Baseline Model ◽  
Contrast Enhanced ◽  
Traditional Risk Factors ◽  
Artery Disease

Introduction: Extensive neovascularization in atherosclerotic plaque has been shown to be associated with plaque progression and instability, leading to atherosclerotic cardiovascular events. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) of the carotid artery is a potential technique for imaging plaque neovascularization. Hypothesis: Assessment of intra-plaque neovascularization of the carotid artery using quantitative analysis of CEUS provides prognostic information in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: This study included 206 patients with stable CAD and with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) > 1.1 mm. They underwent a CEUS examination of the carotid artery and were followed-up prospectively for < 38 months or until a cardiac event (cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction [MI], unstable angina pectoris [uAP] requiring unplanned coronary revascularization, or heart failure requiring hospitalization). The degree of contrast signals measured within the carotid plaque after the intravenous injection of contrast material was quantified by calculating the increase in mean gray scale level within the region of interest of the carotid plaque, expressed as plaque enhanced intensity. Results: During the follow-up period (3 - 38 months, mean 22.8 ± 11.8 months), 31 events occurred (2 cardiac deaths, 7 non-fatal MIs, 16 uAP, and 6 heart failure). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that plaque enhanced intensity was a significant predictor of cardiac events independent of traditional risk factors (HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.20 - 1.94; p = 0.001). The addition of plaque enhanced intensity had a significant incremental effect on the area under the ROC curve (AUC) generated using baseline model of traditional risk factors (AUC: baseline model 0.69 vs. baseline model + plaque enhanced intensity 0.78, p = 0.03). The addition of the plaque enhanced intensity to the baseline risk factors resulted in net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) (NRI 0.58, p = 0.003; and IDI 0.078, p = 0.03). Conclusions: The assessment of carotid plaque neovascularization using quantitative analysis of CEUS may be useful for risk stratification in patients with CAD.

scholarly journals Left-sided carotid arteries have a higher prevalence of intraplaque hemorrhage than right-sided: An asymmetric conundrum

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 494-500
Author(s):  
Anthony S Larson ◽  
Waleed Brinjikji ◽  
Luis Savastano ◽  
Eugene Scharf ◽  
John Huston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Arteries ◽  
Carotid Artery Disease ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Intraplaque Hemorrhage ◽  
Asymmetric Distribution ◽  
Anterior Circulation ◽  
Asymptomatic Patients ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Artery Disease

Purpose To assess whether an asymmetry exists in the prevalence of carotid artery intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) between right- and left-sided arteries. Materials and methods The records of all patients with atherosclerotic carotid artery disease that underwent neck magnetic resonance angiography imaging with high-resolution plaque sequences between 2017 and 2020 at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. The prevalence of stenosis and IPH was determined for all patients and compared between the left and right carotid arteries of those with unilateral anterior circulation ischemic strokes. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine potential independent associations of IPH laterality with ischemic strokes. Results A total of 368 patients were included overall and 241 were male (65.4%). There were a total of 125 asymptomatic patients and 211 patients with unilateral anterior circulation ischemic strokes. Of patients with ischemic strokes, 55.5% had left-sided strokes compared with 44.5% who had right-sided strokes ( p = 0.03). Patients with left-sided strokes had a higher prevalence of ipsilateral IPH than those with right-sided strokes (64.1% versus 36.2%, p < 0.0001), despite similar degrees of stenosis. Both age (odds ratio (OR): 1.0; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0–1.1; p = 0.007) and the presence of left-sided IPH (OR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.5–6.8; p = 0.003) were independently associated with unilateral ischemic strokes. Conclusions Left-sided plaques more frequently have IPH and may be more likely to result in ipsilateral ischemic strokes compared with right-sided plaques. The underlying mechanism of asymmetric distribution of IPH between right and left carotids remains unclear.

Carotid Artery Disease

1985 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Arteries ◽  
Carotid Artery Disease ◽  
Definitive Diagnosis ◽  
Noninvasive Techniques ◽  
Artery Disease

Because macroangiopathy is a ma jor complication of diabetes, evalua tion of the carotid arteries for possible obstruction is of primary importance. Patients with transient ischemic at tacks, a precursor of strokes, are liable to have either a mechanical reduction of flow secondary to stenosis or a re lease of emboli from extracranial plaques. After a definitive diagnosis by angiogram, dissection of a tight lesion is indicated. Asymptomatic bruits should be evaluated by noninvasive techniques for possible prophylactic endarterectomy.

Abstract WP233: Validation of Multi-parametric Ultrasonography Criteria With Catheter Angiography in Internal Carotid Artery Disease: a Multicenter Study

Stroke ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristian Barlinn ◽  
Henning Rickmann ◽  
Ali Rabahi ◽  
Hagen H Kitzler ◽  
Andrij Abramyuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Internal Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Arteries ◽  
Internal Carotid ◽  
Carotid Artery Disease ◽  
False Negative ◽  
Catheter Angiography ◽  
True Negative ◽  
Artery Disease ◽  
Extracranial Ica

Introduction: Novel multi-parametric criteria for duplex ultrasonography (DUS) grading of extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) steno-occlusive disease have been recently introduced by the German ultrasound expert panel (DEGUM). We sought to determine diagnostic accuracy of the DEGUM criteria against the gold standard catheter angiography. Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients who routinely underwent diagnostic or therapeutic catheter angiography of the extracranial carotid arteries in four German study sites. Internal carotid artery disease was graded according to the DEGUM multi-parametric criteria for DUS. On angiography, extracranial ICA disease was graded using the NASCET approach. Ultrasonography and endovascular raters were blinded to clinical data and any other imaging modalities. To correspond to clinically relevant NASCET groups, all stenosis measurements were stratified into ranges: normal, mild (1-49%), moderate (50-69%), severe (70-99%) and occlusion. Results: We studied 130 patients who underwent both DUS and catheter angiography for assessment of carotid arteries (mean age, 64±11 years; 67% men; median time between DUS and angiography, 1 day [interquartile range, 2.5]). To date, fifty-two carotid artery pairs were independently rated and available for comparative analysis. Compared with catheter angiography, DUS had the following positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV): PPV 50% and NPV 72% (3 true positive, 3 false positive, 33 true negative, 13 false negative) for detection of moderate, and PPV 57% and NPV 77% (20 true positive, 15 false positive, 13 true negative, 4 false negative) for detection of severe stenosis. Conclusions: Our preliminary data indicate that the novel DEGUM multi-parametric ultrasonography criteria do not eliminate the need for a confirmatory test for identification of clinically relevant grades of extracranial ICA disease.

scholarly journals The Role of Intraindividual Carotid Artery Variation in the Development of Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Disease: A Literature Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 82-91
Author(s):  
Shawn Stefan Albers ◽  
Andrew Stanton Kucey ◽  
Anish Engineer
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Carotid Arteries ◽  
Carotid Artery Disease ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Anatomical Variations ◽  
Anatomic Variations ◽  
Bifurcation Angle ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Artery Disease

Carotid artery disease (CAD) is associated with numerous risk factors, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, and smoking. These systemic risk factors do not affect the carotid arteries equally in most patients, resulting in asymmetrical bilateral and unilateral CAD. It is unclear if anatomic variations in the carotid arteries predispose an individual to formation of atherosclerotic CAD. We wanted to assess (1) the inter-individual or intra-individual anatomical variations in the carotid arteries and (2) whether anatomical variations predispose the development of atherosclerotic CAD. PubMed and Medline were utilized to identify relevant literature for critical appraisal, summarization and documentation. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to narrow results and articles were critically appraised and analyzed. Evidence suggests that a low outflow/inflow ratio, elevated bifurcation height, and bifurcation angle are associated with increased risk for CAD. Sex and age demonstrated positive correlation with the disease. Additionally, tortuosity and kinking of the carotid arteries may affect the formation of CAD but coiling of the arteries is a natural age-dependent process and does not affect CAD development. This review suggests there are anatomic variations in the carotid arteries that increase the risk of developing carotid artery disease. The most significant risk factors include a low outflow/inflow ratio, increased internal carotid artery tortuosity, elevated bifurcation height, and bifurcation angle.

scholarly journals Stratifying risk: asymptomatic carotid disease

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael D. Malgor ◽  
Emily A. Wood ◽  
Otavio A. Iavarone ◽  
Nicos Labropoulos
Keyword(s):  
Carotid Artery ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Carotid Artery Disease ◽  
Plaque Morphology ◽  
Carotid Disease ◽  
Asymptomatic Carotid ◽  
Plaque Instability ◽  
Artery Disease ◽  
Healthcare Expenses ◽  
Annual Risk

Stroke generates significant healthcare expenses and it is also a social and economic burden. The carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque instability is responsible for a third of all embolic strokes. The degree of stenosis has been deliberately used to justify carotid artery interventions in thousands of patients worldwide. However, the annual risk of stroke in asymptomatic carotid artery disease is low. Plaque morphology and its kinetics have gained ground to explain cerebrovascular and retinal embolic events. This review provides the readers with an insightful and critical analysis of the risk stratification of asymptomatic carotid artery disease in order to assist in selecting potential candidates for a carotid intervention.

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